Oscar Wilde famously quipped that “with age comes wisdom.” But what have people aged 50+ learned throughout their lifetimes that they believe today’s youth could benefit from hearing? That’s the question someone just posed to Reddit. Here are the 10 most upvoted answers.
1. Know That Everyone Messes Up
The most popular response was short, sweet, and surprisingly reassuring. “Everybody f**** up, it’s what you do after that matters,” posted the Redditor.
Someone else then chimed in with the two related lessons that their grandfather instilled in them: “Failure is not an end state unless it is where you choose to stop.” And “Honesty is the most powerful tool you can use to define yourself. Admit your mistake, frankly and honestly.”
2. Prioritize Your Physical Health
Many people offered advice around the importance of looking after yourself. One popular comment read, “Take care of your body. Exercise, keep your weight reasonable, and keep the “bad habits” in moderation. It really does make a difference later in life.”
This was followed by another who added, “And take care of your teeth. It’s f****** expensive replacing crowns, getting impants, etc.” Oh, and as a third Redditor suggested, “Wear sunscreen!”
3. Protect Your Hearing
It seems like lots of older Redditors found out the hard way how important it is to look after your ears as you grow up. One wrote, “Unless you don’t mind hearing EEEEEEEEEEEE like all the time day and night, use hearing protection in loud situations. Tinnitus is a b****.”
4. Know That People Don’t Really Care
Too many people judge themselves based off what they believe others think of them. But the reality is that, well…they’re probably not thinking about you at all. In fact, they’re probably worrying what you’re thinking of them. As one Redditor put it:
“Nobody else ever thinks about the things you did that you think were embarrassing or cringeworthy. You are not important to them. The only one who remembers those moments are you, and you shouldn’t let them define you to yourself.”
Another added, “I heard a saying once. When you’re young, you constantly worry about what everyone else thinks of you. When you’re an adult, you stop worrying about what everyone else thinks of you. And when you’re old, you finally realize that nobody else was thinking about you anyway.”
Be With Someone Who Makes Life Easier
The people you have around you make a world of difference in myriad ways. One Redditor suggested young people should know that “Marriage/relationships should be fun, and happy. Life is hard, things get tough. Find someone that makes the tough times easier, not harder.”
Another then jumped on the thread, writing, “Piggybacking off this and saying, even the happiest marriages get into arguments. It’s not a reason to leave.”
Don’t Work Too Hard
Being ambitious and working hard to achieve big goals is important. But one Redditor wanted young people to “Stop thinking your life is about being the most productive person you can be. Find interesting hobbies that make you feel good and are good for you. Your soul deserves to experience some of your own dreams, don’t waste all of your time working towards the dreams of your company’s owners.”
Plan For Retirement
You can’t rest on your laurels, though. You need money to survive – especially when it comes to life after work. If you want to enjoy your golden years, it pays to think about retirement from an early age. As one Redditor wrote, “Inheritance is not a retirement plan.” In other words, don’t assume you’ll be fine just because you have wealthy parents. Anything can happen, which means you need to be self-sufficient.
Get Help for Past Trauma
You wouldn’t wish childhood trauma on your worst enemy. But it happens. And if you’ve been the victim of it, accessing professional help sooner than later could make a big difference as time goes by.
“If there was abuse in your childhood of any kind and no one helped, get help now. If you can’t afford therapy use online resources, they’re not the best, but still helpful.”
Read More
Reading is like magic. It lets you escape into other worlds, learn about the world, and unwind from the stresses of daily life. Unfortunately, too few of us make enough time to do it. One Redditor suggests “reading for pleasure” is something all people – young and old alike – should be doing.
Strike a Sensible Work/Life Balance
“If you die, your employer will have you job poster before you are buried. Remember that one when making work/life choices.” This might seem morbid, but the Redditor who posted it definitely has a point.
Our mortality has a powerful habit of putting things in perspective. Sure, you can’t do everything you want all the time. But many of us could benefit from taking a foot off the gas and making more time for things that bring us joy.
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Source: Reddit.